– Only three players have played over par this Friday at East Lake, the legendary course in Atlanta, during the second round of the TOUR Championship (they were Hovland, Spaun, and Harman). Everything pointed to one more player possibly (and even should have) joining that small group of downcast players, and it was none other than the World Number One, Scottie Scheffler (-8).
– It will be very difficult to see the Texan miss so much again from the centre of the fairway. His tense expression in the last third of the round said it all. And it wasn’t a great day from the tee for him, nor on the greens. This time he couldn’t escape. His expression was tense and, pay attention, he even seemed to be seen with slumped shoulders. And yet…
– And yet he was going to finish signing a card of 69 strokes, one under par for the day. On the 17th hole, par 4, hitting the green in three after missing the drive, he left a given par after hitting a wonderful wedge. And on the 18th, par 5, also hitting the green in three after missing again from the tee, another splendid action with a wedge secured him the given birdie and he wasn’t far off, even, from holing out for eagle…
He’s a super class, a killer by definition, even on bad days, almost desperate, with slumped shoulders and boiling brains. He was almost saying goodbye to victory and still left himself a chance for a comeback over the weekend with two brilliant and tearing flashes of genius. What happened today with Scheffler at Bobby Jones’ house is a real mystery, after seeing him handle himself with power in the first round, but we will see him again at the top of the leaderboard, we have no doubt. Scottie is also more than authorised to have bad days on a golf course, what happens is that he is capable of managing them with a score below par. He’s a walking legend. Either way, he will need a great weekend to win the FedEx Cup for the second consecutive time, starting tomorrow five strokes behind the leaders, Tommy Fleetwood (-13) and Russell Henley (-13). The challenge is exciting because from this Number One you can always expect the best.
– Things have indeed gone much better for Tommy and Russell. They are the two co-leaders of the tournament, the grand final of the PGA Tour, after signing cards of 63 and 66 strokes, respectively. The Englishman doesn’t waste time, it seems, in self-pity, after having come very close to achieving his first victory on the US circuit on two occasions in recent weeks (Travelers and FedEx St. Jude). This week could be the third in a short time. The Englishman, instead of wandering through the dark corners that victimhood offers, seems more inclined to take advantage of this great moment of play. Henley, normally a prodigy of reliability, will be a great rival over the weekend.
– Cameron Young (-11) delivered the best result of the day (round of 62) with an exhibition of irons and wedges, perfectly complemented or finished on the greens: of the nine birdies he made, in seven of them he putted from distances less than two metres. Less, or much less, if the nuance serves any purpose. In the process, he also positions himself as a candidate for the final victory and to get into the Ryder team for the first time. The captain of the stars and stripes, Keegan Bradley, can be satisfied with the effort the New Yorker is making to play at Bethpage. As well as with the apotheotic finish of Patrick Cantlay (-10), who was rather stalled and closed the round with birdies on holes 16 and 17 and an eagle on the 18th. The Californian, somewhat downcast in 2025, or certainly not too bright, is going to fight this weekend for the FedEx Cup, who would have thought it.
